Safe Schools
The Board is committed to the development of the whole person and to providing a total education - spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional and social - in which the true worth of each person is recognized and promoted.
To this end, the Board endorses the right of its students, parents, staff and community members to learn and work together in a healthy, safe and non-threatening environment, free from violence, harm and disruption.
The Board accepts the challenge of the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops to face together "the task of developing schools into communities of faith in which the requirements of good citizenship will be learned in a vital way from the perspective of the message of the Gospel and the teachings of the Church". -Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops. (1989).
The Board recognizes that this is a collaborative endeavour, and that "we ought to work together without violence and without deceit to build up the world in a spirit of genuine peace". -(Vatican II, 1965)
Accordingly, the Board, in partnership with its students, parents, staff, local agencies, parishes, volunteers and other community members, is committed to promoting safe schools by developing and implementing strategies for dealing with and preventing all forms of violence in its schools, and by providing learning, counseling and in-service opportunities that reflect Catholic charity and Gospel values.
Safe Schools Policies, Procedures and Resources Manual
Special thanks is extended to all of our Principals and Senior Administration for their input and assistance in the preparation of this Safe Schools Resources and Procedures Manual. Thanks and special recognition is also extended to Eric Roher with the law firm Borden Ladner Gervais LLP for sharing his expertise of the Education Amendment Act (Progressive Discipline and School Safety), 2007 and associated regulations with us. Continue to Manual
"It is only within a safe and secure environment that pupils may achieve their full potential and flourish." Trépanier, J.E. (2008)
Second Step
The growth of violence among youth is a disturbing reality for many educators and community members. In addition to the obvious examples of violence, such as murder, rape, and assault, a range of other behaviors (including extreme impulsivity, interrupting, name calling, bullying, and threats) serve as warning signs of later violence and aggression. Second Step helps reduce these behaviors, and gives children lifelong skills to interact pro-socially in all settings.
Second Step is a school-based social skills curriculum for preschool through junior high that teaches children to change the attitudes and behaviors that contribute to violence. The curriculum teaches social skills to reduce impulsive and aggressive behavior in children and increase their level of social competence. Second Step school and family components are important parts of any comprehensive plan to reduce violence.
Second Step teaches the same three skill units at each grade level: Empathy, Impulse Control, and Anger Management. The content of the lessons varies according to the grade level, and the skills targeted for practice are designed to be developmentally appropriate. At all grade levels, Second Step provides opportunities for modeling, practice, and reinforcement of the new skills.
The Second Step curricula for preschool and elementary students consist of three kits: Preschool/Kindergarten, Grades 1-3, and Grades 4-5. In these kits, the main lesson format is the use of an 11" by 17" photo lesson card. The teacher shows the photograph to the class and follows the lesson outline on the reverse of the card. The lesson techniques include discussion, teacher modeling of the skills, and role plays.
The lessons in the middle school/junior high curriculum are divided into three levels: Level 1: Foundation Lessons and Levels 2 and 3: Skill building Lessons. Each level includes discussion lessons, overhead transparencies, reproducible homework sheets, and a live-action video. The three levels of lessons allow students to receive comprehensive, multi-year training in pro-social skills.
At each grade level (preschool through grade 9), the lessons build sequentially, and should be taught in the order intended. The lessons vary in length from 20 minutes at the preschool level to 50 minutes in middle school/junior high. There are approximately 20 lessons for each grade level.
Risk Watch
This program is under the Partners in Trauma Prevention for Nipissing and East Parry Sound Committee. It is a comprehensive injury prevention curriculum for children in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8. Lessons are provided to address fire and burn prevention, choking and suffocation prevention, poisoning prevention, falls prevention, bike and pedestrian safety and water safety. The North Bay 'Risk Watch' Coalition which is comprised of representatives from police, fire departments, health unit and school boards will be providing the resources and training to schools for this safety program that supports the Ontario Curriculum.
Prevention of Abuse
The Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board believes that every student has the right to work and play in a safe and orderly environment, without fear of his/her personal safety. The prevention of abuse and protection of students involves a commitment of all supervisors and academic staff of the Board.
Recent government initiatives on family violence in general and child sexual abuse in particular have emphasized that everyone must become involved if the violence and abuse that are so prevalent in our most intimate and trusting relationships are to be eliminated. - Archbishop R. Ebacher: Breach of Trust, Breach of Faith (CCCB)
Reporting Child Protection Concerns
An employee shall report any concern that a child may be in need of protection, and the information on which it is based, to the Children's Aid Society (CAS) in accordance with the Child and Family Services Act (CFSA) as amended by Bill 6 1999, and shall follow the steps outlined in the below (Policy) procedures for reporting.
